Hackworth said Torres “most likely” won’t return in 2014. “At the moment, we’re not obligated to him and he’s not obligated to us in any contractual way. That gives him a ton of flexibility to go out and search the marketplace and see if he can find something he thinks is better.”

Hackworth also affirmed his remarks to PSP that Kleberson wants to return but that the club will have to get him at a greatly reduced salary for that to happen. “I think Kléberson wants to come back, and I’ve said all year long that he was a good acquisition for us at the time. But it would have to be at a much, much different level of contract.”

Hackworth explained, “We have a long-term plan. We knew we had to get through this last year with some serious financial constraints. We have invested in players and for the most part those guys are all coming back to our team, with the exception of a Kléberson and a Roger.”

Local

Goalkeeper Kevin Silva (PDA; Bethlehem, Pa.), midfielder Thomas McCabe (PDA; South Orange, N.J.), and forward Christian Pulisic (PA Classics; Hershey, Pa.) — all members of the US U-17 Residency Program — have been named to the US U-17 MNT roster for two friendlies against Canada on Friday and Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale.

MLS

At SI, Grant Wahl on the matching funds from the league for designated player signings described in PSP’s article on John Hackworth’s plans for 2014. Wahl writes, “League DPs involve the MLS office providing up to $1 million to match what teams are paying some of their top attacking stars, as long they’re approved by league HQ. Preference is given to players who are young and play in attacking positions.”

Orlando City have issued a press release concerning two big announcements to be made on Monday, Nov. 18 and Tuesday, Nov. 19. Word that an announcement would be made on Nov. 19 on the team joining MLS was leaked a few weeks ago. Perhaps the Nov. 18 announcement — described in the press release from the club as “an exciting reveal to the future of soccer in Orlando” — concerns stadium naming rights or shirt sponsorship?

The Daily Mirror reports that Fulham, Everton, and Aston Villa are all interested in securing Clint Dempsey on loan during the MLS offseason with Tottenham having right of first refusal.

Sky Sports reports that Robbie Keane has agreed a new deal with the LA Galaxy that could see him with the club for a further three years.

At ESPN, Jeff Carlisle on the evolution of Portland head coach Caleb Porter.

The Miami Herald reports that David Beckham is considering Marlins Park and FIU Stadium as temporary homes for his MLS franchise until a soccer specific stadium can be built. Reuters reports, “MLS has confirmed the league is in discussions with Beckham about a team but has said it is awaiting a formal bid, including details of the ownership group and a stadium plan.”

US

Injuries have forced Clint Dempsey and Fabian Johnson to withdraw from the USMNT camp that is preparing for the Scotland and Austria friendlies. No replacements will be brought in.

At ProSoccerTalk, Joe Prince-Wright says the US is in high spirits ahead of Friday’s game against Scotland. Tim Howard says in the article of the team, “I’ve played on some good U.S. teams, particularly when I was younger. This team has a lot of diversity in both age and background, I just think the best thing about this team so far is the balance. We’ve got the best balance, we’ve got depth in a lot of positions, we’ve got people who play in lots of different countries, we’ve got some olds and youngs. The balance is very good, the chemistry is very good.”

ProScocerTalk’s Richard Farley notes that blowout scores like those in Wednesday’s playoff games inevitably underscore the tension between making the World Cup a tournament with the best teams in the world and making it a tournament that is representative of the world.

ProSoccerTalk looks ahead to the European World Cup qualification playoffs on Friday and Tuesday

I know I’m late, but I can’t beleive 1) Hackworth said we are keeping Carrol and 2) Okugo is staying at CB. I dont even feel like watching this team anymore on that case. Carrol is a black hole (which, btw, he has been plenty culpable in numerous goals this past season too) and Okguo is going to waste away at CB.

HAckworth is going to destroy this team more than Nowak did. Atleast with Nowak it was a matter of (replacable) bad contracts and signings. With HAckworth its a matter of ruining careers.

I’ve said this before but I will say it again. I would personally prefer Okugo in the midfield but I don’t see how one can say he is being wasted or wasting away at CB. He is a phenomenal CB and I could see him becoming one of the best in the league.

+1. I don’t see how people can moan incessantly about Okugo being at CB when the guy was absolutely stellar there. I do not want Carroll back as a starter because I think it causes too much offensive difficulty, but maybe with a real CAM and real wingers it would work — we’d have to see. And in any case that doesn’t mean that Okugo automatically should go back there. It should depend on who they can get — if they can get a really strong CDM, then keep Okugo in the back. If they can sign a great CB, move Okugo up.

It may be just a matter of semantics, but I don’t think Hackworth said Carrol will be back. I believe he said the team was picking up his option. Those could be the same thing, but they’re not necessarily equal. Picking up the option, for example, allows the team to trade Carrol still.

So basically you are saying he should stay there because the front office can’t do their job and find a great CB?

.

Keeping him out of his natural position where he will be even better is an incredible selfish waste of talent. If Amobi is stuck at CB again all year then we can kiss him goodbye because he will leave this shitty organization in a heartbeat.

Because great Mids, even DMids, can control a game. They can spark the offense, be a rock in defense. They can touch all facets of the game.

Great CBs (while no less important to a team) can only be expected to impact defense. A great CB is going to break up attacks, and turn the other teams attack invisible – two things Okugo can do at CB WHILE making a mark on our offense as well.